Packing For A Honeymoon:

After feeling nostalgic about my wedding this time of year, combined with some readers who asked for tips on packing, I figured I would share how I packed for my out-of-the-box honeymoon that was nothing but a-typical, but everything fabulous. We went to Cambodia and Vietnam for almost two weeks and fully immersed ourselves in the culture. We spent blocks of two days in a city, followed up with two days on a beach, back to two days in a city, you get the idea. We traveled all over, tried everything (jellyfish, frog legs, snake venom and the list goes on) and took in all things and sites that a new culture has to offer. But for Southeast Asia in May it was HOT. We also were walking, hiking ruins and needed to wear sneakers everyday, so glamour wasn’t necessarily a priority…but looking cute still was! We also left our hotel or villa every couple of days so living out of a suitcase was key. Here goes, my tips on packing for a honeymoon–especially one that’s unconventional (but oh so fab!).

Plan one outfit per day and one per night. Don’t forget socks with your sneakers, because when it’s really hot you may change yours during the day.

If you’re exploring during the day pack a pair of sneakers you don’t care about. The ones I brought on my honeymoon I left in Cambodia at the end of the trip. They served their purpose and weren’t expensive to begin with so I didn’t mind leaving them behind.

Pack a lightweight day bag that you can fit all of your day essentials in, including your “good” camera. I recommend a canvas bag that doubles as your plane bag.

I loved documenting my days in a journal. Every time I travel I bring my Smythson travel one that’s mini but has lots of pages. I even referred back to it this past Paris trip and referenced my notes from the year past.

Know the temperature of the place you’ll be visiting. Because it was super hot where we were, breathable clothing was key (lightweight cargo pants, tank tops, linen pants, etc.)

Shoes are what weighs down a bag and takes up the most room. Choose one or two night pairs and base the color schemes of your outfits around those. I stuck with either blacks or browns, not both.

Bags are second in the accessory department to take up lots of room. I wore the same canvas day bag every day and had a couple of lightweight clutches for night time. This is the time to leave your designer duds at home and wear ones that are a little more artisan based.

My list tip, and one that I can’t stress enough, is do NOT overpack. Instead of throwing everything in a bag and hoping for the best, plan out your days. This also leaves you more time to get out of the hotel and sight see instead of sitting there stressing about what you’re going to wear, or what you left at home that would have matched those shorts, etc. When I pack for my clients I give them a detailed list of what they’ll be wearing every day, day and night (down to workout clothing even), so they can make the most of their trip and have one less thing to worry about.

Happy honeymooning! If only I could do this trip all over again…

Sunset at the Six Senses in Ninh Van Bay

We spent a day of the trip at an orphanage in Cambodia. The kids even had us participate in a dance they made up. This was by far one of the highlights of the trip.

In Vietnam, lighting and burning incense at the temples brings good luck. Supposedly!

Exploring a local market for our ingredients before we cooked lunch in a pagoda with a monk.

Jordan traded bracelets with the monk. A piece of Lacey Ryan was left in Vietnam.